The importance of the fetal origins of adult disease for geneticists

• Published in: Clinical genetics Vol. 72; no. 2; pp. 67 - 73
• Main Author: Hall, JG
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Oxford, UK Blackwell Publishing Ltd 01.08.2007; Blackwell
• Subjects: Adult; Animals; Biological and medical sciences; Chimerism - embryology; cytokines; Cytokines - metabolism; Diseases of mother, fetus and pregnancy; DNA - metabolism; evolution; Female; Fetal Development; Fetal Growth Retardation - metabolism; fetal origins; folic acid; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; General aspects. Genetic counseling; Genetic Diseases, Inborn - embryology; Genetics of eukaryotes. Biological and molecular evolution; Gynecology. Andrology. Obstetrics; Humans; intrauterine growth; Medical genetics; Medical sciences; microchimerism; Molecular and cellular biology; nutrition; Pregnancy; Pregnancy. Fetus. Placenta; Prenatal Nutritional Physiological Phenomena; programming; transgenerational; Human; Origin; Pregnancy disorders; Nutrition; Growth; Vitamin; Cytokine; transgenerational; evolution; Folic acid; Feeding; Molecular evolution; Fetal diseases; Microchimerism; Uterus; fetal origins; Adult; Genetics; cytokines; programming; intrauterine growth
• ISSN: 0009-9163; 1399-0004
• DOI: 10.1111/j.1399-0004.2007.00842.x

The purpose of this paper is to summarize some of the newly recognized in utero factors that interact with gene expression to establish the structural and physiologic processes that will serve the individual long term. These may be common to all mammals and probably reflect evolutionary plasticity, which improves species survival. The concepts of programming, fetal‐maternal microchimerism, growth factors, and transgenerational nutritional affects are explored.